
Tuscaloosa Councilman John Faile Seeks Re-Election in District 6
A lifelong public servant will seek another term on the Tuscaloosa City Council and run for re-election in March, he told the Thread last week.
John Faile represents the southeastern parts of the city in District 6, which includes a large swath of neighborhoods between Hargrove Road and Veterans Memorial Parkway. The district also boasts Bowers and Snow Hinton Parks and is home to Woodland Forrest Elementary School, Eastwood Middle and Paul W. Bryant High School.
"I grew up in this district and I care about this part of town," Faile said.
He was first elected in 2021, defeating two-term incumbent Eddie Pugh in a runoff after 45 years in other crucial local roles.

"I've been of service all my life, which is not to brag, but it's true. I was a cop here in Tuscaloosa for 25 years, and then I spent the next 20 years as the director of the county's juvenile detention center," Faile said.
In his four years on the city council, Faile said he's proud of the $10 million upgrades just completed at Snow Hinton Park as well as the construction of a new Fire Station No. 6 to service the area.
Now, he will seek a second term in the District 6 seat when voters go to the polls on March 4th. Faile said he enjoys serving on the council and works hard to understand and meet the needs of his constituents.
"I really believe I'm as approachable as any elected official in our community. I have answered every phone call and every email that I could," Faile said. "I'm proud that I've used some money in a conservative way which has done some real good in our community. I've certainly supported public safety and I've given community money to our schools, especially at Woodland Forrest Elementary because I think that's where we've got to go. You start with our elementary schools or we're not going anywhere after that."
Faile isn't just looking backward - he said he's also excited about what the next term will bring, including a transformative remodel of Bowers Park and the construction of the Saban Center.
The incumbent councilman wrapped up the interview by addressing a tough reality - there were 22 homicides in the city of Tuscaloosa in 2024, which was the highest number in any year in modern history.
"Violence has become a real issue in Tuscaloosa and people are looking at us for answers, but we've done everything we can to support the police. We have raised salaries, given signing bonuses, approved take-home vehicles - but you can't police your way out of this," Faile said. "Families have to deal with this. To have good communities, you have to have good families, which takes good individuals who teach their children that you can disagree with someone without resorting to violence in your discussions. I believe this is a spiritual problem - too many people just don't think about other people. And families have got to teach their children from an early age that violence is not the answer."
For more coverage of the 2025 municipal elections in the Druid City and elsewhere in West Alabama, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.
Editor's note: The official qualification period for the March election ends on January 28th, when the city will release a full list of all candidates who qualified to run for seats on the city council, school board or for the mayor's office. Any candidates wishing to announce campaigns on the Thread before then can contact editor Stephen Dethrage at stephen.dethrage@townsquaremedia.com.
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